At the beginning of May Michelle Heidenrich Barnes shared an interview with Margaret Simon on her blog, Today’s Little Ditty. At the end of the interview, Margaret posted a timely challenge to “Write a mindful poem about the present moment.” I got a little motivated by Mary Lee Hahn's suggestion in the comments to make that into a daily challenge. We put out the idea with the hashtag #PoemsofPresence and invited poets to write small poems for each day in May. Michelle made the gorgeous logo. My first one quotes Margaret quoting from Mary Oliver.
Thanks to all who are making this a very satisfying (and doable) project! Our host today is Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link, who has been joining us in some #PoemsofPresence and shares them in a new gallery of illustrated poetry. Wishing you wondering and sending you mending, should you need it.
These make a diary of poems for your month. I love that! I'm struck by the one about your video chat with your mother. "What?" says so much about how seniors are handling all this. And thank you for the hashtag and invitation for doing a daily writing practice.
I love that your writing can be so deep on the one hand and so playful on the other, Heidi. Some folks excel in astute observations, others in wordplay and imagination, but you do both. It's like your brain and muse and heart somehow all coordinate with a buzzruckus of free-association and those electrons spinning just below your right eye. Amazing.
You make the peaceful fun with your tongue-in-cheek lines...what? what? How can all of these poems have piled up? How can so much of May be lived already?
I'm so glad you shared these in one place, Heidi. I'm a bit of a Twitter novice (with no desire for master status!) and missed a few along the way. May 9th is so rich and May 17th so achingly poignant. (Also, what Michelle said!)
Each of us takes from others' words our own thoughts, connections. I missed some, enjoyed reading others that I already loved, Heidi. But being with the granddaughters and knowing their feelings during this time made me the saddest when I read "we were building something it wasn’t finished yet"
I know that you showed here your feelings, but also those of thousands, teachers & children, around the world. It's very special!
Heidi, while I thought I had most of the #PoemsofPresence, I see that missed some of yours. I love the word play you are sharing in your poems. Thank you for offering your walking widdershins video poem for #NatureNurtures2020. #PoemsofPresence are little pauses in a day that either whizzes by or creeps slowly under stress.
So many of these resonate. Your May 10 one, especially. My dad is not tech savvy enough to manage Zoom or Skype, but even in our daily phone calls, he seems a bit blurred and overexposed. Funny how these tiny poems in explicit, beautiful detail reveal the common experience even in different situations.
Hats off to you, Heidi!! I especially ♥️ May 1, 9, 10, and 14.
ReplyDeleteThese make a diary of poems for your month. I love that! I'm struck by the one about your video chat with your mother. "What?" says so much about how seniors are handling all this.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for the hashtag and invitation for doing a daily writing practice.
So good! I love May 17th. It's so true - it wasn't finished yet! Yesterday's is very relatable too. <3
ReplyDeleteI love that your writing can be so deep on the one hand and so playful on the other, Heidi. Some folks excel in astute observations, others in wordplay and imagination, but you do both. It's like your brain and muse and heart somehow all coordinate with a buzzruckus of free-association and those electrons spinning just below your right eye. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteYou make the peaceful fun with your tongue-in-cheek lines...what? what? How can all of these poems have piled up? How can so much of May be lived already?
ReplyDeleteLoving your collection, Heidi, especially Day 3, 10, 15 & 17. Lots of personality shining through these.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you shared these in one place, Heidi. I'm a bit of a Twitter novice (with no desire for master status!) and missed a few along the way. May 9th is so rich and May 17th so achingly poignant. (Also, what Michelle said!)
ReplyDeleteYour collection has presence, Heidi. I especially love May 15. Thanks for sharing. :)
ReplyDeleteEach of us takes from others' words our own thoughts, connections. I missed some, enjoyed reading others that I already loved, Heidi. But being with the granddaughters and knowing their feelings during this time made me the saddest when I read
ReplyDelete"we were
building something
it wasn’t
finished yet"
I know that you showed here your feelings, but also those of thousands, teachers & children, around the world. It's very special!
Heidi, while I thought I had most of the #PoemsofPresence, I see that missed some of yours. I love the word play you are sharing in your poems. Thank you for offering your walking widdershins video poem for #NatureNurtures2020. #PoemsofPresence are little pauses in a day that either whizzes by or creeps slowly under stress.
ReplyDeleteMay 17 just breaks my heart all over again.
ReplyDeleteSo many of these resonate. Your May 10 one, especially. My dad is not tech savvy enough to manage Zoom or Skype, but even in our daily phone calls, he seems a bit blurred and overexposed. Funny how these tiny poems in explicit, beautiful detail reveal the common experience even in different situations.
ReplyDelete